Surrogacy means that you have a woman who says they will carry a baby to term for someone else. They may do so for a couple who wants to have a child but can’t do so on their own. Sometimes, the surrogate gets paid by the couple or individual who wants the child.
Being a surrogate can be challenging. It’s never easy to carry a child to term, and that applies regardless of whether you plan on keeping the baby or not. That’s why surrogacy support exists. We will discuss the concept in detail right now.
The Basics
Surrogacy support is a network that helps the individual who is carrying the baby to term. Surrogacy support could refer to a single person, or it could involve an organization that offers this service.
Essentially, surrogacy support amounts to counseling. The person or entity providing the support is there for the surrogate, either before the pregnancy, during it, or after it concludes.
Why Might You Need It?
The process of surrogacy, if you look at it on paper, might seem transactional in nature. Indeed, if you have a surrogate who’s being paid a sum of money for what amounts to a service, you might be tempted to look at it like any other system where money is being exchanged for goods or services.
However, if you think of it that way, you’re ignoring the emotions that might go into the whole process. When a woman carries a child to term, she is going through a deeply personal experience that might very well change her. Even if she doesn’t think about it that way before starting this journey, she might begin to feel differently when hormones kick in.
If you’ve agreed to become a surrogate, you might feel things that you weren’t anticipating. That is why counseling should be open to you, and a surrogate support individual or network might be needed.
Moving Past This Experience
During the time when you’re pregnant, your body is giving nutrients to the fetus and keeping it alive. That’s not always easy on you physically and sometimes mentally as well.
You may feel a need to talk to someone about what you’re going through. The birth can also be a challenging or difficult event. Even with modern medicine making the labor and delivery process easier than it has ever been, it’s still a demanding time that might leave you weakened and exhausted.
Following the birth, it is necessary to give up the child, as you agreed to do. You may find that you experience sadness or depression after you have done so, though.
This is another time that the surrogacy support individual or network can help you get past. They’ll be there for you as you talk through your feelings.
You may find that being a surrogate brings you a lot of joy, but it may bring sorrow as well. Hiring a surrogacy support person or network and having them on your side can help with that.